Marine propulsion.



G. W. BEBSON. MARINE PROPULSION. APPLICATION FILED FBB.11, 1911.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914,

2 SHEETSSHBET 1.

G. W. BEBSON. MARINE PROPULSION. APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 11v 1011.

Patent-ed Mar. 241, 191

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\\ Qmw under side GEORGE W. BEESON, 0F EAGLE. PASS, TEXAS.

MARINE PROPULSION.

R Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 11, 19.11.

Patented Mar. aa, 191%. Serial No 608,069.

Figure 1 is a bottom perspective View of a boat having the improved mechanism applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section taken through the same; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the boat having the mechanism applied thereto; Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and, in Figs. 5 and 6 aredisclosed slightly modified forms of the boat and the mechanism applied thereto.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indi- To all whom it may concern.

'Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Benson, citizen of the United States, residing at Eagle Pass, in the county of Maverick and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Marine Propulsion, of which the following is a specification. 7 w r,

This invention relates to marine propelling devices,

and refers particularly to a propelling device in which the hull of the boat is given a peculiar shape to co-act therewith. cated in all the views of the drawing by the The object of this invention is to form a same reference characters. hull with a propeller chamber in the stern eferring to the drawing, and particuthereof and a passage, or passages, in the of the hull extending the entire nates the hull of the length thereof and communicating with the I K propeller casing to feed, or to direct, the bow 11 and a central longitudinal channel water into the forward end of the propeller as at 12. The channel at chamber and into the path of the propeller, its rear end, at the stern of the boat, is abruptly deepened to. form a propeller chamber 13 in the bottom of the hull and opening through the rear end thereof, as at 14.

he chamber 13 is of circular form, is open at its bottom throughout its entire length, and tapers or is reduced at its rear end.

he lower edges of the chamber 13 are flush with the bottom of the hull 10, positioning the entire chamber within the stern of the hull. The forward, or enlarged, end of the chamber 13 communicates with the channel 12, the latter merging into the chamber by the formation of an enlargement or duct 15.

A propeller shaft 16 is disposed longitudinally in the chamber 13 and has its rear end journaled upon a hanger 17 carried by the hull 10 across the rear end of the chamber, and The peculiarity of the pell ward end of the chamber with the least possible friction and of the forcing of the fluid from the rear end of the chamber under c0n siderab'le pressure.

The invention has for a still further object to arrange the propeller chamber in the stern of the hull so that it supports the propeller above the bottom line of the hull to prevent the catching of the blade of the propeller against sand, weeds or the like, should the hull run aground, and whereby the propeller can operate independently to force a' stream of water through the channel in the lio'ttom of the hull to gradually work the hull loose from thesand. This latter feature is deeme{d important for heavy craft which is opera ed in shallow rivers, and the like where it is not infrequent that the craft is run aground and wherein it is desired to free the hull without the employment of tugs or such devices for drawing the hull back into deep water.

For a full understanding of the invention with a screw propeller 20, the same comprising a worm-having, preferably, two convolutions' extending throughout the entire length of the shaft 16 within the chamber 13. The forward and rear edges of the propeller 20 terminate in cutting blades 21 radiating. from the shaft 16, and are adapted for cutting weeds, and other growth coming into contact with the propeller.

The hull 10 is provided with a pair of rudders-22 located at the sides of the chamber 13 and adapted to operate in parallelism i toeiiect the steering of the hull 10. In

positioning the rudders 22 at the sides of the chamber 13 the volume of water passing through the chamber 13 flows uninterruptedly from the rear end of the hull rand is not broken up by the positioning of the rudder within the issuing stream.

' From Figs. 5 and 6 it will be noted that the hull 10 may be formed with a'plurality of channels 12f arranged in/parallelism and communicating at their rear ends in a corresponding number of propeller chambers v13*. Inthis' instance the propeller chambers 13 are arranged in transverse registering relation in the stern of the hull and open through the rear end of the hull as in the above'noted preferred form. Any number of propellers may'be employed proportionately .to thesize of the craft and the speed and power desired. The propeller 20 shafts 16 may be driven from a single source of maybe separately motors, such as turbines or the like.

A screw propeller of this peculiar form, having but two complete convolutions throughout its entire length is particularly adapted to high speed engines, as steam turbines, wherein the rapid motion of the prov peller will not churn up the water without effecting an impactagainst the same, as the spiral blade, in conjunction with the tapering chamber,

the forward ends of the chamber the body .of water which it afterward ejects. with considerable force from the rear tapering power, or

connected together and-- driven by independent draws in and retains in end ofthe chamber. The propeller and the chamber are further adapted for high speed in that they are enlarged at their forward endsso as to receive a considerable amount of the fluid with the least frictional resistance from the longitudinal water ways or channels formed in the bottom of the hull. It'will be noted that in combining these features which involve the peculiar construction of the hull and of the propeller chamher as well as the propeller itself, that a marine device 'is effected with which increased speed and power is had as well as a substantially simple construction.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A vessel construction including a hull i provided on its bottom with a longitudinally and centrallyextending channel which tapers toward the bow of the vessel, there being an enlarged chamber formed in the hull at the stern end thereof, and an enlarged duct merging into the chamber and channel and providing communication therebetween, toward the stern of" the hull, the greatest width of the chamber being adjacent the point where the duct and channel merge.

\ In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature-in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. BEESON. [no.1 Witnesses: I

F. A. BONNET,

CHAS. FESSMANN.

said chamber being tapered. 

